Dread of the Drow
by Wolfy1718
Summary: The back story for the new character that I'm adding into the game for my group.


Vincent Ragap

The Dread of the Drow

"Run!" I saw a fleeting glimpse of Shivara's stark white hair and my sister was gone.

"Keep moving!" Quarfein, my older brother, urged as my step faltered.

We had found a passage that led from the Underdark, the lightless pit that Drow called home under the skin of the world. The Underdark was ruled by the evil goddess Loth. She touched each and every Drow with the powers of fire and darkness.

She was the reason we were fleeing. Our parents were hopelessly devoted to Loth, generals in her army. My brother, sister and I saw her for what she was: evil.

I stole a glance over my shoulder and saw that the spiders were gaining on us.

"They're getting closer!" I yelled and quickened my pace.

I could hear the spiders now; they were very close. I voiced this to my brother. His eyes were filled with fear as he glanced over his shoulder.

This was a sign that he was not a normal Drow. From an early age we were taught not only to show fear but to not feel any. Also a Drow loyal to Loth and, therefore the rest of the Drow, had nothing to fear from the giant spiders that were Loth's pets.

"They're too close, we'll never make it," I was always the leader of our little group.

My brother, while he wasn't usually the first to take, acted faster than I could think. He spun around and fired a flurry of arrows at the closest spider; they all met their mark. The spider, now a pin cushion, fell limp to the ground. The second spider launched itself pas its fallen brethren and me. It pinned my brother to the ground and started to snap its deadly, poisoned jaws at his face.

I knew he didn't have long, I had to act fast. I jumped onto the back of Loth's faithful servant. This had the desired affect; the spider left my brother and focused on me. It spinning and bucking buffeting me against the rock walls of the tunnel, trying to throw me off. Clasping my heavy bladed spear in both hands, I brought it down hard on the beast's neck. I felt the bone snap and the black monster crumpled.

Pulling the spear from the corpse, I looked around looking for any movement in the shadows. My brother grunted as he got up. Rolling off the beast, I walked over to make sure he was unharmed.

"Are you injured?" I asked, looking him over.

"I'm fine," he said as he picked up the two halves of the bow. "I can't say the same thing for my bow though," he sighed and tossed it to the side.

"Let's get out of here," I said looking back from where we came.

We walked quickly, keeping our eyes on the shadows for any sign of threat.

"Stop!" my brother threw his arm in front of me to halt me. "I hear voices," he hissed.

My brother was right, there were two voices coming from the end of the tunnel. I readied my spear and my brother his two swords.

I shielded my eyes with my arm as I exited the cave. For the sunlight, though dimmed by the thick forest canopy, stung my eyes. Once my eyes adjusted, I found a spear tip pointed at my throat. Glancing to my right, I found that a man was standing behind Quarfein, holding a knife to his. I did not know much about this part of the world, but I knew enough to know that an elf wielding a spear and a human assassin was an unusual sight to see.

"Go back to where you came from you foul beasts," growled the elf.

"We have no home now," a hint of sadness that I didn't intended touched my voice.

"That is not our concern," the human hissed. "Whatever you did to make _your kind_ turn you away it must have been a horrendous deed. Either way, go back from where you came. You will not stain our part of the world with your evil."

"We bring not the evil you speak of. We have left our family and turned our backs to the worthless pit of a being that is Loth. We have come out of the shadows of the Underdark seeking a new life, free of death and despair.

Just because someone is part of an evil past doesn't mean that they follow that past. You are an elf, the elves are master archers, yet you wield a spear. And you, human, the human race is renowned for their warriors and you work as a rouge, striking from the shadows and stabbing people in the back."

"All Drow are evil. That's how it is, and that's how it will be."

"Adran! Quinn! Let them go!" A human, smaller than the other two yet bigger than me, stepped from the cover of the trees and onto the open path. "They have done nothing to warrant your suspicion. If they prove themselves evil then, and only then," he added for emphasis, "will they be rightfully threatened like this."

"Tanner, this is the very reason you were not put in charge of guarding this entrance. You are too soft on the likes of these. They will see no mercy, if they try to pass us and enter any further into our world, they will be struck down."

"They have done nothing! Adran, you once were cast out of your house for a crime you committed."

"We will not… speak of that," there was a warning to his voice that would stop even a Drow from pressing the matter.

"That is of no importance!" Quinn, the human, yelled.

"Quinn is right, Tanner," the elf had forgotten me and had turned to face the new addition to this whole event.

"Enough! Either they go back or they get a new home: the ground," this was not a simple threat. I could tell the human was not going to let us pass while he yet lived.

"You will not kill these men, Quinn."

"These are not men! They are animals! Below even the most worthless mutt in our town!" he yelled the muscles in his arm tensing.

"We will not return to that pit!" my brother protested, brave to his last breath.

"No!" the man called Tanner yelled as the dog Quinn slit my brother's throat.

Tanner lifted his arm. There was a sound that rivaled thunder and a flash from his wrist. A blade the size of the dagger flew from above his clenched fist, striking my brother's murderer where his blade cut Quarfein's: all before I could even think to act in revenge.

A shuriken dropped into the palm of his hand from the underside of his wrist. It was sent hurtling towards Adran's wrist. The elf had no time to react, the bladed circle struck home causing him to drop the spear.

Holding his injured wrist to his stomach, he drew a short sword with the other hand. He charged Tanner. Drawing two daggers from behind his back, Tanner parried the blow and knocked the elf on his back.

"Your ignorance ends today!" growled Tanner drawing back his arm clenching the dagger so tight that his knuckles were white as dried bone.

"Not alone, for, today the Grey Shadow dies by my hand," he laughed and plunged his sword into Tanner's middle.

He threw the dagger with all that remained of his strength and then collapsed to the ground. I ran to his side. Adran no longer lived his eyes and mouth still open in shock at the knife buried in his hart. Tanner's breath came in ragged gasps, he yet lived: barely.

"What…is…your…name?" he asked.

"Elkantar, Elkantar is my name," my breath came quick; I didn't know what to do. When I came closer, I realized that there were flecks of silver were in his hair.

"Elkantar….what is….your full name?"

"Elkantar Dorano Folas, though I do not wish that name to touch my tongue again. Please, as a final favor, tell me your full name, so that I may honor it.

"Tanner Quickblade…. I posses another…. I am also known as… the Grey Shadow…protector of the people. Here…," he pulled a necklace from his neck. It was a silver claw with four talons holding a black onyx stone. "This is… my symbol… take it. If… you wear this…you will be…accepted into my home. It will…all be yours… you will be given everything…that I own. Go to Baldur's Gate…my home is there…speak my name and…you will be taken… to it.

"Tanner, you will die soon. Allow me to honor you, let me take your name as my own so that I may have one that is free of the taint of the Drow.

"I know… and yes… it would make me happy…to have…one of noble hart…to carry my name on. Some…advice though."

"Go on, please, I wish to hear it."

A smile touched his face when he heard this. "There are…but two ways…to prove yourself…two places. Valhalla…and among…the wolves," a lust filled his eyes at this. Lust for something from his past.

"I will do as you ask and I will always honor you while I sill draw breath."

"Thank you…Elkantar my…friend," he gripped my hand tight as his dying breath left his body.

My friend, he was the first one to call me that. I vowed that he would not be the last.


End file.
